Carson Clough discovered triathlon after losing his leg in a Lake Norman boating accident.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte native Carson Clough made a splash at his first appearance in the Paralympics.
Clough competed in the men’s individual PTS4 triathlon on Monday, Sept. 2. He finished second with a final time of 1:00:47, earning a silver medal.
PTS4 is the classification for athletes with moderate impairments, meaning they may use approved prosthetic limbs or supportive devices during the bike and run segments of the event.
The triathlon competitions were originally scheduled for Sunday, but were postponed for a day because of concerns about water quality in the Seine River after heavy rainfall, organizers said. Late Sunday night, organizers confirmed the races would go ahead Monday, saying in a statement that new water testing results and monitoring ‘’indicate that water quality continues to improve and will be within the World Triathlon thresholds on race day.”
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WCNC Charlotte spoke to Clough before the Paralympics, when he was in the thick of training.
Clough’s always putting the work in and is always on the go. Whether he’s swimming, running, biking, or – making coffee. Clough is the co-founder of the popular Giddy Goat Coffee Roasters in Plaza Midwood, where you will often see him if you can keep up.
For Clough, it’s been a constant movement for all of his 30 years. Sports, the ocean, and family nurtured that spirit.
“I grew up going to the beach, and got a pretty top-notch family,” Clough said. “I was kind of given everything growing up and I definitely knew it. That allowed me to really push outside the limits.”
Clough excelled in the classroom and athletics at Charlotte Latin School, then played some lacrosse at UNC, before graduating with degrees in biology, chemistry and entrepreneurship.
Life was swimming right along. Until one summer day on Lake Norman five years ago, swimming back to the boat after wakeboarding, the unexpected happened.
“Both feet met the propeller,” he said. “And I found out how strong those propellers really are. I noticed that there was blood and I did look up and see that my foot was missing.”
His parents received the call no parent wanted to get, as Carson was being airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center. Clough had to have everything below his right knee amputated. Doctors saved his left leg.
Doctors said he’d be in the hospital for weeks. But nine days later, he wheeled himself out. It was the beginning of what he matter-of-factly calls his “one-legged life.”
“It’s just another challenge trying to slow me down,” he said.
It didn’t slow him down at all. After a month, Clough got his first prosthetic and immediately began testing it out by walking at Freedom Park. Walking was the first step, then running, then a running leg, then biking and swimming. All of a sudden, USA Triathlon invited him for a test in Colorado Springs.
“It wasn’t anything I did in my two-legged life,” he said.
Clough’s rise to the top of the rankings in para-triathlon has been astounding.
“I never thought I would have a chance to be involved with any Team USA whether it’s one-legged or two-legged,” he said ahead of the Paralympics. “So I really have nothing to lose, and I’m not going there for fun. I’m going there to win.”
Now, many others who think the loss of a limb might mean the loss of everything life has to offer, are learning from him too.
“Put a goal out there that you’re not supposed to be able to get to and go get it,” he said. “And that’s what I’m doing. And if I can inspire people along the way, I’m obviously stoked about that.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Contact Nick Carboni at ncarboni@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
